


sucky vulcan games

by Hannah (hannahoftheinternet)



Series: the best friends you can find [1]
Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Banter, Games, Gen, Vulcan Culture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-27
Updated: 2018-10-27
Packaged: 2019-08-08 03:48:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16421855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hannahoftheinternet/pseuds/Hannah
Summary: Tom and Tuvok play kal-toh.Set sometime in early s2





	sucky vulcan games

Tom knew he was making a strange face, because he could feel his cheeks and temples starting to ache. He tried to adopt a look of placid concentration like the one worn by the Vulcan sitting across the dining table him, but that led to him imagining himself as a Vulcan and he started to laugh.

Tuvok took a deep breath, which Tom knew by then to be equivalent to an eye-roll. “If you could focus, Lieutenant.”

Still laughing, Tom picked up one of his  _ t’an _ and placed it opposite the jumble of sticks from Tuvok’s last move. The advice had been not to do this, but since when did Tom follow advice given? For all he knew, that could have been a method of throwing him off, telling him not to do exactly what would win the game.

The  _ kal-toh _ shifted, swallowing his  _ t’an _ and forming an even more convoluted shape. Tom groaned and twiddled one of the (steel?) sticks between his fingers. 

Eyes narrowing ever-so-slightly, the chief of security examined the twisted  _ kal-toh _ . “Is there something in particular that convinced you my advice was not sound?”

Tom rested his elbows on the table, cocking an eyebrow in imitation of the signature Vulcan look and grinning obnoxiously. He snarked, “I just love to be contrary.”

“Clearly,” said Tuvok, inserting his own  _ t’an _ into a gap in the rods. The game changed again, becoming a bit more geometric in appearance.

Tom sat back, grumbling, “I’m not sure I like this game.”

“Unsurprising. You are impatient and unwilling to dedicate mental effort to a specific task.”

“I think I’ve just been insulted.” Tom began to tap the metal rod against the table, producing a distracting  _ tink-tink-tink _ . Tuvok didn’t look perturbed. It was a little irritating. “Uh…” he drew out the sound as he tried to find a place to put his next playing piece. Choosing a spot, he inserted it into a tangled area. The game morphed, giving him an almost-perfect octagon.

“Impressive,” the commander said, not sounding impressed. He slid one last rod into the mess and the rods formed themselves into a perfect geometric shape. 

Tom leaned back with a huff and dropped his  _ t’an _ . “Good game.”

“And you,” Tuvok said, rising. “I look forward to our next game.”

“Yeah, right,” Tom mumbled as the Vulcan left him, taking the powered-down game with him.

He got up and went over to the replicator to order a soda, wondering if the ship’s database had anything on  _ kal-toh _ .

**Author's Note:**

> help you enjoyed! please comment!


End file.
